I bought my seed potatoes today, Jan. 30 at the feed store. I won't be planting them until after Valentine's Day. My question is--shall I keep them inside in the pantry at about 60 degrees, or in the barn, with the vagaries of the weather we've been having (daytime from the mid-30's to the mid 60's, and night temperatures from high 20's to the 50's.) I'd sure appreciate any advice. Usually I get seed potatoes, chit them and let them harden a couple of days, and plant them within a week. This year's weather has been so strange that I went ahead and got them while they were available (red LaSoda's are fairly scarce around here for some reason). Now I have a storage problem that I'm hoping y'all can help me with.
If it were me I would go with the 60 degree pantry. But don`t cut till later. Worst that can happen is that they sprout and that's a good thing. Hubby told me I had better buy mine early since they sold out last year.
Jane, I agree with mart; I would worry about them freezing in the barn and then not being live seed-eyes after being frozen.. Hank
I would keep them inside as well. In fact, that is what I do. I keep mine in a cardboard boc in the bedroom. (the heater is never on and the window is always cracked open...so, it is the coldest room in the house; and with the cardboard box, light is excluded until I am ready to allow the spuds to chit. I could keep them in the garage and may one day do that. I mean, I keep my harvested spuds there already. The ones that I harvested back last summer are still there and have not yet frozen or begun to chit. That said, they have not really been properly tested, as the temps have been unseasonably warm this year so far. The only thing that you would need to be careful with is if they begin chitting too early and you wind up with very long sprouts. I always have the problem of handling and transporting chitted spuds to the lottie and getting them in the ground before the sprouts break off. That is a yearly challenge for me. Good luck with your spuds this year, meid.
Thank you all for your prompt responses! The potatoes are in the pantry in a double paper bag to exclude light. If I get a good potato harvest this year, it will be due to y'all!
I had planned on planting on Valentine's Day--mid-February being the "usual" time for potatoes to hit the ground. However, this year is so much colder than usual that I haven't even chitted yet. If the weather improves, I'll chit in about a month and plant on St. Patrick's Day. The potatoes seem happy in the pantry .
Jane, they will tolerate cold, but not wet. I try to get my potatoes in in March up here if I can work the ground. Frost won't kill them, or cover them with straw if it gets too cold of a forecast coming on and you are worried. This year I am afraid that March is a pipe dream.
Carolyn, it's raining now--it does rain occasionally here in Texas! Our soil is still pretty damp from the snow/sleet/rain mixes we've had since Christmas. I'll wait until I can plant the potatoes while wearing a heavy coat, but not carrying an umbrella!
I see MG...When is St. Patrick's day though? It is and has been so moist here that I can't even to think about chitting yet. I get the impression that it is going to be a little difficult to plan this year. Good luck there.
Sjoerd, St. Patrick's Day is March 17th. In Chicago, the river flowing through the city is dyed green, and there is a huge parade in New York City. I'll celebrate by planting potatoes!
